A Brief Discussion of
Nicknames and Diminutives



First things first: the word nickname derives from the Middle English phrase "an eke-name" where "eke" means "additional." A nickname is a name, any kind of name, that one is called in place of one's real name. Some nicknames are affectionate phrases used to describe a person. Shorty Smith is presumably short, for example. Slim Pickings is skinny, and Red Cooper may have red hair, while Scarface Capone has a scarred face. During the Middle Ages, many of these descriptive nicknames evolved to become surnames (last names, family names, etc.). Thus, an ancestor of Neil Armstrong must have had strong arms, and Jane White had an ancestor with a pale complexion or hair.

But the most common type of nickname is the Diminutive, usually a shortened or otherwise altered version of one's true name, such as Jim, for James, Jack for John, Ted for Theodore, or Betty for Elizabeth. Diminutives are usually used with inferiors or equals, such as children and servants, or close friends or relatives. Usually meant affectionately, often times there are varying degrees of diminutives. A man is William to his acquaintances, Will to his friends, and Willie to his mother. Nicknames of this sort are among the oldest parts of language still used. Jack remained a nickname for John for centuries after its origianl connection and lost. Until the 20th century, one could still find Neds and Nans for Edwards and Anns, again, alghouh the original connotations have long since past. Some connections are so old that we do not really undestand how it happened, as in Peggy/Margaret or Polly/Mary or Billy/William.

"Diminutives" are formed by corrupting, shortening, or otherwise changing a person's given name into something different. This happens in a variety of ways:

Sometimes, longer names are contracted, as in Margaret to Greta, Konradt to Kurt, Teresa to Tessa, or Henrietta to Hetty.

Other times a letter (usually "r" ) is dropped, as we see in Maggie from Margaret, Kit from Christopher, Biddy from Bridget, Fanny from Frances, and Hattie from Harriet.